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The presentation of the flagship Samsung Galaxy S21 and Samsung S21 Plus has ended, and we have succeeded in getting to know them. The familiar was brief, but it was enough to make the first impression. Are the changes dragging on a new stage in the development of mobile devices?
Design and ergonomics
The appearance of new products has not changed drastically: looking at them from the front, you will not immediately understand whether the new generation is in the hands or the former. But the back cover is different now, especially the camera unit. The camera module is combined with a metal frame on the sides – this solution looks fresh. It is possible that a new trend is being created in the design of smartphones before our eyes.
For the rest, the revelation is not presented in Flagship’s design – a thin case with round ends, a SIM tray at the bottom, no audio jack. The lock button and volume rocker are located on the right-hand edge. Not without a stereo speaker, which was attended by the well-known AKG.
Compared to the massive Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the S21 and Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus modifications are noticeably smaller and lighter. The Samsung s21 phone will be available in the following colors: Phantom Purple, Phantom Gray, Phantom Pink, Phantom White. The “Plus” version will feature purple, black, and silver colors, and it will also be possible to “customize” – Choose one of five options for the body, making the frame and camera block “pink-gold”. Such models will cost the same as the original but will have to wait four weeks for their delivery.
Both devices have received a matte finish that practically does not collect prints. It will appeal to those who do not like to put their smartphone in a case immediately after purchase. Material – plastic, reinforced polycarbonate. Externally, it resembles glass, but the polycarbonate background is lighter and more resistant to drops. This cover has become the flagship of Samsung Galaxy S21. In earlier versions, the Gorilla Glass is declared not only on the front but also on the back.
Is the display the best on the market again?
Both smartphones are equipped with Dynamic AMOLED 2X Matrix with a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz and FullHD+ resolution. The difference is that the Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch screen, while the Samsung S21 Plus has a 6.7-inch panel. On a cursory acquaintance, the performance of new products makes an excellent impression. It has excellent contrast, a large margin of brightness, the image does not fade when viewed from the side. A picture is clear and colorful. Color reproduction can be changed to your liking in the settings.
The refresh rate changes dynamically from 48 to 120 Hz. This is done to create a balance between the smoothness and power consumption of the image. The fingerprint scanner is built below the screen, but here it was not possible for us to evaluate its work. We will examine the speed and performance quality of the sensor in a review later.
Flagship cameras
The cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ are identical. The main one received a 12MP sensor with f/1.8 aperture and 1.8 microns pixel size. There is optical image stabilization. The 12MP ultra-wide-angle sensor has an f/2.2 aperture and a viewing angle of 120°. The third sensor with 64MP resolution is intended for photography with zooming, it is also equipped with OIS. For the front camera, a 10MP selfie camera with autofocus and Dual Pixel technology was chosen.
The following are the first impressions from the cameras: The photo capabilities of the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus are similar to last year’s flagship. There were no major upgrades, but it is still the major level of shooting. The young model does not have a record zoom: digital – 30x and optical – 3x. The picture using optical zoom is excellent and almost as good as the photos taken with the main module. The manufacturer has worked on software improvements and options: the new generation has improved stabilization while recording video, and a more natural blur in portrait mode. How much the change in software has affected the quality of shooting – we’ll try to find out in the full review.
Performance
The main changes in the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus were hidden from hidden eyes. The hardware platform for the flagship is the Snapdragon 888 chipset, built using 5nm process technology. In addition to increased power and improved energy efficiency, the new processor enables faster processing of AI-related tasks. In the outside of the US, the Galaxy S21 series will ship with the Exynos 2100 chipset.
Final line
A first look does not allow us to fully appreciate all the features of the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+. So far, it is only clear that the devices have become the logical development of Samsung’s flag. The design gained more clarity, camera software was improved, and performance increased. The revolution did not happen, but the “Galaxy” is a bit brighter.
Both are already available to pre-order on the Amazon.com and Bhphotovideo.com websites, pricing starts from $799.99. The battery life, the quality of the shooting, and the updated tasks require detailed study, which we will do when preparing the review.
